


part 3: so tell me who you’re gonna call

by batyatoon



Series: never saw it coming [3]
Category: Gargoyles (TV), Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Crossover, Future Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:32:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13760250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batyatoon/pseuds/batyatoon





	part 3: so tell me who you’re gonna call

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ariestess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/gifts).



As it turned out, posting bail was irrelevant; the charges were quietly brushed away into nonexistence, and the three of them declared free to go -- with no worse than a very blunt warning against anything like this happening again.

Well, no worse than that and the general feeling of humiliation, Abby corrected herself internally, watching her teammates trudge down the station steps. Particularly Erin, in the lead, slumped and subdued enough to worry her a little.

She almost missed the figure waiting for them on the sidewalk below, until it stepped forward and held out a hand to Erin. “Dr Gilbert, isn't it?”

“Uh -- yes?” Erin hesitated before reaching for the offered hand, blinking at the speaker: a woman with silver-laced red hair, elegant in a tailored dark suit.

“Excellent. And your colleagues, of course --”  The woman raised her head to take in the others coming down the stairs, and Abby clutched involuntarily at Holtzmann’s arm when she got the first clear look at her face.   _Everyone_ knew that face, from countless news bites; if nothing else, the trademark blue fox-head tattooed around her right eye would give it away.

“Oh shit oh _shit_ ,” Holtzmann chanted under her breath, in what sounded like horrified delight.

“Ms. Tolan, Dr. Holtzmann, Dr. Yates -- I’m Fox Xanatos, and I’m so pleased to meet you all.  Although the circumstances could be better, of course.  Dr. Gilbert,” and Fox’s smile looked entirely sincere, “could I offer you and your team a ride home?”

* * *

 

* * *

 

The back of the limousine felt almost as big as the captain’s office, once they were all seated inside.  Holtzmann immediately snagged the little crystal bowl of mixed nuts on the mini-bar, tucked it into the crook of her arm, and began inventorying the full-sized bottles lined up in the refrigerator that stretched along its length.

“Do help yourselves to anything,” Fox said, still smiling, settling herself along the one seat that faced the others.

Erin glanced from Patty to Abby, both sitting there as tense as she was; drew a breath to steel herself, and started. “Ms. Xanatos --”

“Fox, please.”  Her smile broadened, and Abby wondered uneasily if she was imagining the faint edge to it.

“... Fox,” Erin repeated slowly.  “We, ah, we do appreciate the ride, of course, but -- why are you doing this?  Why wait for us outside the police station to offer us a ride?  How did you even know we were there in the first place?”

“All very fair questions,” said Fox, not sounding the least bit bothered by the asking.  “Several reasons, really.  Starting with the fact that I’ve been a great admirer of your work for some time.  Some of you longer than others -- Dr. Holtzmann, you studied under a Dr. Rebecca Gorin at one point, didn’t you?”

Holtzmann looked up, startled, and slowly crunched down on and swallowed a mouthful of nuts.  “Yeah …?”

“My mother was Anastasia Renard, and she worked with Dr. Gorin a time or two.  Brilliant woman.  You’re very lucky to have her for a mentor.”

“I,” Holtzmann began, and swallowed again, blinking, starting to smile, "oh.  You, you’re so right.”

“I usually am,” Fox agreed smoothly, with a self-deprecating smile as though to undercut her own words.  “And I’m hoping you’ll agree that I’m right this time as well.  Ladies, I have a proposition for you.”

“Oh, here it comes,” muttered Patty.

“It’s nothing illegal, I assure you.  And no more dangerous than your everyday line of work.  Actually, I'd say the end goal is pretty significant to your work.”

Abby raised her eyebrows.  “The end goal being …?”

“Making sure,” Fox said promptly, in an I’m-glad-you-asked tone, “that your ghost-hunting equipment can tell the difference between ghosts and, let’s say, other nonhuman ethereal entities.  Like the one you encountered in last night’s unfortunate accident.  I’m sure you’ll agree that would be in everybody’s best interests.”

All four of them exchanged unnerved glances.  “And, ah,” said Abby, “you know about last night how?”

This time Abby was damn well sure she wasn’t imagining it; Fox’s smile took on a decided edge.  “We can discuss that little detail later.  For the moment … let’s just say Captain Maza was kind enough to keep me informed, due to a family connection, and leave it at that.”

“I see,” said Abby, not at all sure she did, or wanted to.

Fox took a breath in turn.  “In any case, we’re prepared to offer you a great deal of support for this project, if you’d be willing to work with us.  We can provide extensive lab space, support staff, materials, any equipment you care to requisition.  All we need you to supply is your time, your experience ...”  She grinned.  “And, ideally, a ghost.”

 

* * *

 

“Okay, but what do they want a ghost _for_ , that’s all I’m saying,” Patty started as the limousine pulled away from them.

“Well, for a baseline, right?”  Erin turned to Abby. “I mean, doesn’t that make sense?  Something to compare readings.”

“So the question is, what are they gonna compare it to?”

Holtzmann kept staring after the limousine as it turned the corner -- still, Abby noticed belatedly, cradling the bowl of nuts.  "You guys," she said, without turning her head.  “Those not-ghosts we saw at the park … didn’t one of em have red hair?”

 

 

*  *  *  _fin_   *  *  *

 

_Happy Purim and I hope you liked the story!_


End file.
